New York Giants officially re-sign linebacker Dyontae Johnson
New York Giants officially re-sign linebacker Dyontae Johnson
The New York Giants have officially re-signed exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) linebacker Dyontae Johnson.
Johnson, 24, was originally signed by the Giants as a rookie free agent out of Toledo following the 2023 NFL draft. He spent the entire 2023 season on the practice squad and then most of last season on injured reserve (IR) with an ankle injury.
In two games (no starts), the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Johnson has recorded 11 tackles (six solo), while allowing four completions for 38 yards on five targets.
Johnson took 37 defensive snaps (26%) and 28 special teams snaps (50%) in his two games last season.
The Giants remain high on Johnson, even with a solid core of inside linebackers in-house such as Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden, and Darius Muasau.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Colorado Replaces Folsom Field's Grass Amid Former Heisman Calling Out Risks
Colorado Replaces Folsom Field's Grass Amid Former Heisman Calling Out Risks originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Colorado Football is transitioning from natural grass to artificial turf at Folsom Field. A new premium AstroTurf system is nearly installed, replacing the natural grass surface that has been in place since 1998. While it will be easier to maintain, one former Heisman winner is speaking out about the risks associated with playing on turf. Advertisement Reggie Bush was one of the most electric talents in college football's modern era. However, his NFL career was cut short in 2015 due to a freak injury on an unsafe surface in St. Louis. Bush recently said NFL Players are playing on unsafe surfaces every Sunday, and they need to fight back against it. "One thing I think they need to get rid of that's still out there and is still an issue is field turf," Bush told GQ. "When we look at the studies and the correlation between field turf and ACLs, PCLs, meniscuses, just about all leg injuries, a lot of it is traced back to the surface that you play on. They're playing on one of the most dangerous surfaces. We don't see soccer being played on field turf! In Europe, they would never allow that. Right? "For some reason here—especially the NFL, which is the most dangerous sport—you're playing on the most dangerous surface. The reason why it's dangerous is because athletes are now bigger, stronger, faster. It continues to evolve. When you're that strong and that fast, something's going to give. You plant your foot into that turf and what happens is turf will grab. Grass gives." If Deion Sanders wants to model his program to be the most NFL-ready in the nation, it starts with being consistent with what's going on in the league. Three of the past four Super Bowl winners play on grass at their respective home stadiums. Advertisement Related: Where Shedeur Sanders Stands in Browns' QB Depth Chart Today For Bush, the NFL's owners will always prioritize costs over safety. "Unfortunately, NFL owners still believe that turf is the cheapest, most cost-efficient way in a league that analyzes billions every year," Bush said. "It's unfortunate. It will continue until the players decide to stand up and say, 'Listen, we don't want to play on turf anymore.' The thing is, all players hate it." Related: Deion Sanders Cancels Speaking Engagement as Rumors Swirl With the House settlement now finalized and the College Sports Commission being established, the college football players need a union to represent them. The topic of playing surfaces should be a top priority in future negotiations with the commission. Advertisement If you want a good sample size, the NFLPA has said that its own surveys show more than 90 percent of players prefer playing on grass. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Former Colorado Defensive Coordinator Reveals Travis Hunter's Ideal NFL Role
Former Colorado Defensive Coordinator Reveals Travis Hunter's Ideal NFL Role originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Few players in college football have sparked more debate, and awe than Travis Hunter. And few coaches know him better than Charles Kelly. Advertisement The former Colorado defensive coordinator spent a season witnessing Hunter's generational two-way talent up close. Now the head coach at Jacksonville State, Kelly recently shared his unfiltered thoughts on where Hunter should line up in the NFL, and it's a strong vote for defense. 'I'm playing him on defense and let him play offense in situations,' Kelly told reporters at the Alabama Sports Writers Association convention. 'He can go get the ball… he is deadly when his eyes are to the quarterback.' For Buffaloes fans who watched Hunter's 2023 breakout, this endorsement comes as no surprise. That season, Hunter captured the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player and earned All-American honors. In just nine games, he notched 3 interceptions, 31 tackles, and 5 pass breakups, all while racking up over 700 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns on offense. But for Kelly, Hunter's true value lies not in highlight-reel touchdowns, but in game-changing defensive vision. Advertisement 'When he can see where that quarterback is looking, he can find the ball,' Kelly said. 'That's what hurt us with him—we weren't good enough up front to play a lot of zone. We had to play a lot of man-to-man.' It's a telling reflection. Even while Colorado struggled defensively in 2023, Kelly still saw glimpses of Hunter's elite instincts. Special instincts that, in a more complete defense, would have been fully unleashed. Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Travis Chenoy-Imagn Images The NFL has taken notice. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 2024, becoming the first two-way player to do so since Charles Woodson, Hunter was selected No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Jags intend to use him as a two-way weapon, but Kelly thinks they'd be wise to lean into his ball-hawking abilities on defense first. Advertisement 'I do think he can play offense,' Kelly acknowledged. 'You can put things in scheme-wise to get him open. But when his eyes are on the quarterback? That's when he's at his best.' For Colorado fans still glowing from Hunter's legacy in Boulder, it's gratifying to hear a respected voice like Kelly's reinforce what they already know: Hunter isn't just a versatile star, he's a defensive difference-maker with a rare gift. And in the NFL, where turnovers change games and instincts can't be taught, Kelly's advice to Jacksonville might be the smartest game plan yet. Travis Hunter Colorado Buffaloes defense interception NCAA football This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Matt Chapman goes on IL, and Giants respond with 4-run comeback win in ninth
DENVER — When the San Francisco Giants won five consecutive games last week after president of baseball operations Buster Posey shook up the roster, there was little doubt that the moves, and the sense of urgency behind them, put some wind in the team's sails. But here's the issue with navigating a 162-game season: The doldrums can be as near as one injury to one indispensable player. Advertisement The Giants expect to be without Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman for several weeks, and potentially most of the 30 games that remain before the All-Star break, after an MRI on his right hand showed sprained ligaments and a bone bruise. The team placed Chapman on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, two days after he jammed the hand against the Atlanta Braves while getting picked off first base in the eighth inning. The Giants followed up that news Tuesday with eight mostly listless innings against the worst team in the major leagues. Then the wind kicked up in the ninth, and they rallied for a four-run uprising to take a 6-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies. None of the victories in their six-game winning streak has been a boat race. They've won them all with a one-run margin. This latest one might have been especially significant, given the distressing pregame news that they will be without their leading home run hitter and unofficial infield captain 'Every team goes through injuries, (and) we've actually been pretty lucky as far as injuries go this year,' Giants manager Bob Melvin said before Tuesday's series opener at Coors Field. 'Some guys are probably a little more valuable than others. He means a lot to us. But Casey (Schmitt) gets a chance to play the position he's used to playing. Everybody's gotta pick it up a little bit till (Chapman) comes back.' That's precisely how it went Tuesday. Schmitt, the player taking Chapman's spot at third base, led off the ninth-inning uprising with a dugout-stirring home run. Schmitt also started a 5-4-3 double play in the bottom of the ninth that helped Camilo Doval record a one-run save despite allowing three base runners in the inning. Willy Adames, who could replace much of Chapman's production at the plate if he can find his long-awaited groove, had one of his most productive games as a Giant. He came through with a sacrifice fly and a 439-foot solo home run but might have made his most important contribution in the ninth-inning rally when he worked an 0-2 count into a walk. Adames was batting with the tying runs on base after Tyler Fitzgerald and Andrew Knizner drew walks and Jung Hoo Lee hit into a forceout at third base. But when the two-strike pitches weren't there, Adames resisted the urge to be the hero. Advertisement Instead, his walk helped to set up Heliot Ramos' sacrifice fly, and the Giants relied on a little luck after that. Wilmer Flores, whose sprint speed of 24.4 feet per second ranks in the third percentile among major-league players, put a ball into play at 49.3 mph and a launch angle of minus-72. So it qualified as a miracle of miracles when he beat it out for an infield single as the tying run scored. Then Mike Yastrzemski laced a single to right field that scored Adames from second base. "Unbelievable." — SFGiants (@SFGiants) June 11, 2025 'Every now and then you're gonna get a dribbler like Flo's, get a break,' Melvin said. 'But when you're getting at-bat after at-bat that's really good, drawing some walks and putting pressure on guys, a lot of times, good things are gonna happen.' It was the Giants' 19th comeback victory of the year and pushed their record to a season-high 11 games over .500. 'Obviously, it's detrimental, losing Chappy,' Yastrzemski said. 'But we've created a belief in this clubhouse that everyone is capable of doing the job and competing their tails off. And I think you saw that tonight. It's going to come from a lot of different places. The mentality doesn't change.' To Yastrzemski's mind, that belief was never more evident than when Adames worked his walk in the ninth. 'I think it's maybe even bigger (than his home run),' Yastrzemski said. 'It shows discipline at the plate and that he's seeing the ball well, but it's also showing trust in the guys behind him. That's all you can ever ask for in a teammate: to believe in you like you believe in them. That's what he did with Ramos and Flo there, knowing those guys were coming up.' Adames had just one regret about the ninth-inning rally. He was sprinting to second base and couldn't appreciate Flores and his 'Chariots of Fire' moment. Advertisement 'I knew he was going to go 200 percent,' Adames said. 'I was sad because I couldn't see it because it would've been funny for me to see him run. But I'll go watch the video and give him crap tomorrow.' And what about having a productive game after watching from the bench Sunday and enjoying an off day Monday? Adames doesn't like to take days off, but he had to acknowledge it might have helped clear his mind. 'Just taking good at-bats was what I take out of tonight,' Adames said. 'Obviously, getting a homer feels great. But for me, just the feeling of seeing the ball better, taking good at-bats and competing, that's the most important for me.' The Giants will need productive at-bats up and down the lineup without Chapman, who remained prone on the ground in obvious discomfort Sunday after he planted his right hand in the dirt and then bent back his middle three fingers when they got pinned underneath his leg on his sliding attempt. He played third base in the ninth inning and made warmup throws before that inning, but said after Sunday's game he initially thought he tore ligaments in his index, middle and ring fingers. An MRI confirmed the sprains, which are defined as at least microscopic ligament tears. Chapman will visit hand specialist Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles, after which the team expects to have a clearer idea of the third baseman's return-to-play estimate. 'For him to have that kind of reaction, I kind of knew,' Melvin said. 'He's a pretty tough guy and can take a lot of pain. So the IL wasn't a surprise. How long it's going to be is to be determined.' The Giants are losing Chapman during his best offensive stretch of the season. Though hitting safely in 12 of his last 14 games, he had a .354 average and .456 on-base percentage; he owned five doubles and three home runs among his 17 hits, including Saturday's two-run shot with two outs in the ninth that clinched a 3-2 victory over the Braves. Advertisement 'It sucks because we just won five games in a row, we're starting to get some momentum going, and I felt like I was really starting to put together some really good at-bats and feel good,' Chapman told the San Francisco Chronicle and 'Just bad timing, but it's the way this is sometimes. I'm really bummed out, but I'm happy that I get to come back at some point and help our team by the end of the first half and throughout the whole second half. That's my focus right now.' (Photo of Willy Adames: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
